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obtaining. Appointment and promotion are now based upon the Dominion graded list of teachers, the best-qualified applicant securing appointment irrespective of the district in which he may be employed. The publication of all vacant positions in the Education Gazette is an important part of the system, affording teachers complete information concerning vacancies throughout the Dominion. Fresh arrangements for the instruction of uncertificated teachers and for pupil-teachers and probationers have been made, and are being carefully supervised, with what are already reported to be good results. Model country schools have also been established in some districts where there are no training colleges, and are proving of great assistance to country teachers. The Dalton plan of education is being experimented with in at least one of these schools very successfully. A correspondence scheme of education has been established to assist children of settlers in remote country districts where there are not enough children to justify the establishment of a school. The scheme has proved a very successful one, the number of pupils now benefiting by it being some three hundred ; these children otherwise would be receiving practically no education at all. The Department employs a staff of teachers to carry out this work. The question of reorganizing the primary and secondary courses of education has received a great deal of consideration. More than a quarter of the pupils of secondary and technical schools remain at school for only one year, thereby obtaining little or no benefit. This fact points to the necessity of providing a rounded-off course, finishing one year after the primary course. The secondaryschool course is obviously designed as a whole, and not to suit pupils taking only a small part of it. To meet the case, regulations have been made for the establishment of junior high schools, one such school with over six hundred pupils being now in operation. The curriculum has a more vocational or practical bent than that of secondary schools, and is intended to give a more complete training for industry or commerce. Moreover, the course is designed so that the peculiar aptitudes of the pupils may be discovered, and their future course or career to some extent decided upon. The regulations for the award of junior scholarships were amended to ensure the award of a reasonable number of scholarships to the pupils of small country schools who previously were too heavily handicapped in the competition with pupils of larger schools for scholarships. An amendment in the free-place regulations makes it possible for an over-age pupil obtaining his proficiency certificate to obtain a free place in a secondary school if the special circumstances of his case warrant the concession. Approved lists of school-books for use in primary and in secondary schools have been issued by the Department. One effect of limiting the variety of books formerly used will be the reduction of the cost of school-books. Arrangements have been carried into effect for the Department's purchasing in bulk all the material for elementary handwork and drawing which it distributes to Education Boards. Although at the inception of the scheme delays occurred over which the Department had no control, the enterprise has proved to be a successful one. The advantage of pooling the requirements of all Education Boards and of giving one order for them is obvious. The regulations for teachers' certificate examinations have been revised, providing for improved grouping of subjects and for the revision of the syllabus in such subjects as education and music. Already improvement is admitted in the quality and quantity of teachers' accomplishments. A monthly departmental publication for the information of teachers—the Education Gazette —has been launched, and is proving itself a convenience and source of help and interest to the teaching service. The publication in it of all vacant positions is also proving an economical method of advertising such. The public-school syllabus in history and civics has been revised, emphasizing the inculcation of the principles of patriotism and loyalty to King and country, and all teachers have been required to take the oath of loyalty. The registration of private schools has been made compulsory.